Loom temple weft cutter

ABSTRACT

A loom temple including a weft cut-off device operable by a lever which, in synchronism with a loom sley, moves rectilinearly to move the cut-off device towards a weft to be cut and thereafter pivots to operate cut-off device shears and sever the weft to be cut.

[ Dec. 18, 1973 United States Patent [191 Bulcock et al.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [75] Inventors: Colin Leonard Lucas Bulcock,

Blackburn, England; Erhard Kenk, 1,394.652 Trembley.............,.............. Kleinglattbach, Germany 2,886,070 5/1959 Cagini........ Assigneez Lupton Brothers Limited, 3,233,636 2/1966 Bulcock.............. ...i...........

Accrington, Lancashire, Great Britain May 2, 1972 616,937 11/1926 France................................ 139/266 [22] Filed:

Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon [2]] Appl Attorney-Jordan B. Bierman et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A loom temple including a weft cut-off device opera- [30] I Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 8, 1972 Great Britain 5,700/72 ble by a lever which, in synchronism with a loom slcy,

moves rectilinearly to move the cut-off device towards a weft to be cut and thereafter pivots to operate cutoff device shears and sever the weft to be cut.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures slvis'zss PATENTEU DEC 18 I975 sum 1 o; 6

FIE.

PATENTEDDEE 18 I975 SHZEI 5 [IF '6 LOOM TEMPLE WEFT CUTTER This invention concerns loom temples and in particular loom temples incorporating a weft thread cut-off device arranged to sever a weft thread extending from the edge of a fabric.

One of the disadvantages of known cut-off devices lies in the fact that the device is continuously operated even though weft thread severance is only required upon bobbin or shuttle change and consequently the cutting shears of the device are being moved unnecessarily and consequently due to frictional contact dulling of the cutting edges takes place and thus the loom must be stopped frequently to enable the edges of the cutting shears to be sharpened.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a loom temple with weft cutting means in which the above outlined disadvantage is overcome.

Whilst it is advantageous to have the weft cut off means inoperative when weft cut off is not required this advantage in some cases will not be thought completely to meet the requirements of some users since in the already known arrangements of cutting device there is a delay period between shuttle or bobbin change and actual severance of the weft and consequently there is a risk of the unwanted weft (that is the one to be cut) becoming entangled with the weft being used. This delay occurs due to the fact that the fabric being woven extends forwardly of the loom temple (that is in a direction towards the reed) and cutting does not take place until the weft to be cut has moved (with the fabric) up to the temple.

It is thus a further object of the present invention to provide a loom temple with weft cut off means which does not suffer from the disadvantages set out above.

Thus according to the present invention there is provided a loom temple comprising a body, a temple barrel mounted on the body a weft cut off device including cutting shears, a cutter operating lever coupled to said weft cut off device, said lever being mounted on the body for sliding and pivotting movement relative thereto, a cutting device lever connectable to a loom including a sley so as to be movable in synchronism with said sley, means movable in response to an electro magnet to couple said cutting device lever and said cutter operating lever whereby the cutter operating lever is caused to move rectilinearly and the cutting device is moved in a direction away from the axis of the temple barrel and, in use, towards a weft to be cut and thereafter the cutting device lever is caused to pivot thereby operating said cutting shears.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a part of one embodiment of a loom temple according to the invention parts being omitted for clarity;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the loom temple of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the loom temple of FIG. 1 with parts omitted for clarity;

FIG. 4 is a part front elevation of the loom temple of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows in more detail, and on an enlarged scale, one of the cutter blades of the cut-off device in the loom temple of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another embodiment of a loom temple according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is an end elevation of the loom temple of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a rear elevation of the loom temple of FIG.

FIG. 10 is an elevation of the other end of the loom temple of FIG. 8 with some parts omitted for clarity; and

FIG. 11 shows the cut-off device of the loom temple of FIG. 7 in more detail.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 the loom temple comprises a body 201 from one side of which extends a loom temple barrel 230 partially surrounded by a cover 202. A cutting device lever 203 is journalled by means of a boss 203A for rotation relative to the body 201 on a pin 204 which also carries an operating lever return spring 205 arranged to urge the lever clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 against a stop 210. A bracket 211, which carries pin 204, is mounted by screws 211A (or other fixing method) to a cutter body end plate 206 fixed to the body. This bracket 211 supports an electro-magnet 212 such that a pole 212A thereof is directed towards the plane through which the cutting device lever 203 is movable.

A bracket 218 is mounted in a channel section in the cutter body end plate 206. The bracket 218 is slidable, relative to the body 201 and end plate 206 to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, said bracket 218 being normally urged towards the left as viewed in FIG. 2 by means of a torsion spring 209 a coiled portion of which is wrapped about a securing pin 208 whilst a tail thereof is secured to a cutter operating lever 207 pivotally mounted on the bracket 218 by means of a pivot pin 217 (See FIG. 2).

The cutter operating lever 207 includes an upwardly (as viewed in FIG. 2) directed arm 232 provided with an adjustable stop screw 216. Further, the end of the cutting device lever 207 remote from the spring 209 is provided with two pins 217A between which one end of a first cutter blade 220 extends. The first cutter blade 220 is mounted pivotally on a pin 234 (See FIG. 4) on a second cutter blade 219, the second cutter blade 219 being slidably mounted in the bracket 218 which, as stated above, is also slidable in body end plate 206.

The second cutter blade 219 is shown more clearly in FIG. 5 and comprises a metal blade having a V- shaped notch 236 constituting the cutting edges. A metal wire 238 is fixed to the blade and extends transversely across the notch 236 at a predetermined distance from the apex of said notch. The metal wire 238 acts as a thread guide as will be hereinafter described.

As can be seen in FIG. 3 the cutter body end plate 206 and cutter operating lever 207 lie in parallel planes which are spaced from and parallel to the plane through which cutting device lever 203 is movable. To effect connection between the cutting device lever 203 and the cutter operating lever 207 a plate 213 is mounted on the cutting device lever 203 by means of a spring 214 fixed by a pin 215 to a lug 214A housed on the boss 203A of the operating lever 203 and to the plate 213. The spring 214 normally urges the plate 213 towards the right as viewed in FIG. 3 so that it does not normally engage the cutter operating lever 207 upon movement of the cutting device lever 203.

Turning now to FIG. 6 the electro magnetic means for operating the cutting device, the electro magnet 212 is connected to a pair of terminals 39 and 40. From the terminals 39, 40 a pair of leads 41, 42 are taken to a capacitor 43 and branch leads 44, 45, 46 and 47 from the leads 41, 42 are connected to a 24 volt A.C. supply. In each of the leads 44, 45, 46, 47 is located a diode rectifier 44a, 45a, 46a, 47a. One supply lead contains a relay 48 which via a mechanical linkage 49 to a solenoid 50 which is in series with a resistance 51 and a diode rectifier 52 carried in a line 53 across the supply leads. The line 53 is provided with a switch 54 which is arranged to be closed when a pirn or bobbin is changed in the loom. Shunted across the solenoid 50 is a timing capacitor 55.

In use the switch 54 is closed when a shuttle or bobbin change takes place and thus current can flow to capacitor 55 to charge same when the current reaches a certain value the switch 48 of solenoid 50 will close so that the full wave rectifier bridge consisting of diodes 44a to 47a becomes operative to pass DC current to energise the electro magnet 212. This causes plate 213 to be moved towards the left as viewed in FIG. 3 and into line with the end of the cutter operating lever 207. The next backward movement of the loom sley (not shown) which is connected to the cutting device lever 203 by a thong 221, causes anticlockwise movement (as viewed in FIG. 2) of the cutting device lever 203 whereby the plate 213 engages the end of the cutter operating lever 207 and urges both cutter operating lever 207 and the bracket 218 towards the right as viewed in FIG. 2. The cutter blades 219 and 220 are thus moved away from the temple barrel 230 and towards the fell of a fabric and a weft to be cut.

The aforesaid movement to the right of the bracket 218 and cutter operating lever 207 is limited by engagement of the stop screw 216 against a stop 216A on the body 201 and further anticlockwise movement of the cutting device lever 203 then causes the cutter operating lever 207 to pivot anticlockwise (as viewed in FIG. 2) about pivot pin 217 and hence the first cutter blade 220 to pivot clockwise (as viewed in FIG. 4) about pivot 234 to sever the weft to be cut. At the completion of the cutting action the parts of the mechanism return to their original psitions to repeat the cutting action until the electromagnet 212 is de-energised. The number of cutting actions of the blade 220 depends on the timing circuit which includes capacitor 55 and resistance 50 and is such that the time period of energisation of the coil 19 can be varied. This time of energisation is dependant upon the DC. resistance of the coil 50 and the value of the capacitor.

The capacitor 43 of the rectifier bridge is used to smooth out the rectified A.C. Current and thus prevent solenoid chatter.

It will be observed in FIG. 4 that the bracket 218 for the cutter blade 219 is inclined downwardly from the end plate 206 so that the second cutter blade 219 will move under gravity towards the fabric until the metal wire 238 engages the selvedge edge thereof. However, because the vibration of the loom and/or the fabric may tend to dislodge, periodically, the cutter blade' 219 from its correct position the cutter body end plate 206 is, as shown in FIG. I, mounted for sliding movement in a plane which is not at right'angles to the plane in which cutter blade 219 slides but is inclined thereto at an angle Y which may be between 90 and 75 so that sliding movement of the cutter body end plate 206 towards the right as viewed in FIG. 1 produces a component of force which acts to move the cutter blade 219, and hence cutter blade 220, towards the right as viewed in FIG. 4, i.e., into its correct position relative to the fabric edge.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 11, the embodiment of the loom temple shown therein comprises a body 201 from one side of which extends a loom temple barrel 230 partially surrounded by a cover 202. The body is mounted on a mounting bar 240 which carries a split bush 242. One end of a cutting device lever 203 surrounds the split bush so that the cutting device lever 203 is pivotable about the mounting bar 240. The other end of the cutting device lever 203 is connected to the loom sley (not shown) by a leather thong 221 so that on backward movement of the sley the cutting device lever will be rotated anti-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 8. A return spring 205 is connected between the cutting device lever 203 and the temple body 201 so as to urge the cutting device lever clockwise as viewed in FIG. 8.

A solenoid 212 is mounted on the temple body 201 with its pole 212A directed towards the plane in which the cutting device lever is movable. A plate 213 is mounted on the cutting device lever by means of pins 244 so that said plate 213 is movable with said cutting device lever and also movable in a direction at right angles to the plane of movement of said cutting device lever. The plate 213 is normally urged towards the left as viewed in FIG. 9 against the cutting device lever 203 by means of a spring 246.

A cutter operating lever 248 rests on the inner surface of a web 250 of an upwardly directed U-shaped channel 252 mounted on the temple body 201 (FIG. 10) the lever being normally urged towards the right as viewed in FIG. 10 by a spring. The cutter operating lever 248 comprises a body 254 having a roller 256 at one end and a substantially U-shaped member 258 fixed adjacent to the other end. An adjustable stop screw 260 is provided adjacent the free end of the arm 262 of the U-shaped member remote from the temple barrel. The other arm 264 of the U-shaped member is bent away from arm 262 and a cutter blade 266 is fixed to the free end thereof by means of a pin 268 which extends through a slot 270 in said blade 266. Cutter blade 266 is pivotally connected to a second cutter blade 272 by a pin 274. The second cutter blade has a rectangular notch 276 at one end thereof in which a weft to be cut is receivable and is slidably secured at its other end to a cutter body 278 by means of a housing 280 embracing said other end. The cutter body housing is mounted on a pin 282 fixed to the temple body 201 such that the cutter body is movable forwardly of the temple towards the fell point of the fabric on the loom. A cutter return spring 284 urges the cutter body and blades towards the left as viewed in FIG. 8.

As in the previously described embodiment the plate 213 in its position shown in FIG. 9 does not engage the roller 256 on the end of the cutter operating lever 248 so that on normal operation the cutting device lever 203 and plate 213 pivot on the mounting bar 240 without the cutting device being operated. However, when a weft or shuttle is changed the solenoid is energised by a circuit of the kind shown in FIG. 6 and the plate 213 is slidably drawnon the pins 244 towards the right as viewed in FIG. 9 and into line with the end of the cutter operating lever 248. On the next backward movement of the loom sley the cutting device lever 207 is rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. and the plate 213 engages the roller 256 on the end of the cutter operating lever 248 thus moving the cutter operating lever towards the left as viewed in FIG. 10 and the cutter blades forwardly of the temple towards a weft to be cut. This linear movement of the cutter operating lever is limited by engagement of the stop screw 260 on the temple cover 202 whereafter further clockwise movement of the cutting device lever 203 and the plate 213 causes the cutter operating lever 248 to pivot about the point of engagement of the screw 60 with the cover 202 thus raising arm 264. The cutter blade 266 is thus rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 1 about pin 274 severing the weft to be cut.

At the completion of the cutting action the mechanism returns to the inward position and then repeats the cutting action until the solenoid is de-energised. (The number of cutting actions depends on the timing of the previously mentioned electronic circuit).

The invention is not restricted to the details set out above. For example a circuit other than that described can be used to control the cutting operation. It is also possible to use a cutting device which consists of a wire-like element adapted to be heated electrically so that a weft laid thereover will be severed.

In such an arrangement it is advantageous to oscillate the wire element so that the same part thereof is not always used for the severing action and thus there is no build up of unwanted material on the wire.

Alternatively a hot wire cutter in the form of a relatively stiff rod can be used and of course in such a case it is necessary to oscillate the wire to bring it into contact with the weft to cut the latter. When hot wire cutters are used the electrical supply used to heat the cutter will be arranged to be on at the time at which cutting is required and off" for the remaining time. By the terms on and off we mean that the wire temperature is high enough to cut weft when the supply is on" and, by for example a voltage reduction, is kept warm to reduce heating time when the supply is of The coupling of the cutting device lever to the operating lever may, if desired, be effected by means of a pivotable plate fixed to the cutting device lever and connectable to the operating lever by pins movable in response to an electromagnet or solenoid to lock the operating lever and pivotable plate together.

What is claimed is:

l. A loom temple comprising a body, a temple barrel mounted in the body, a weft cut-off device including cutting shears, a cutter operating lever coupled to said weft cut-off device, said lever being mounted on the body for sliding and pivotting movement relative thereto, a cutting device lever connectable to a loom including a sley so as to be movable in synchronism with said sley, means movable in response to an electro magnet to couple said cutting device lever and said cutter operating lever whereby the cutter operating lever is caused to move rectilinearly and the cutting device is moved in a direction away from the axis of the temple barrel and, in use, towards a weft to be cut and thereafter the cutting device lever is caused to pivot thereby operating said cutting shears.

2. A loom temple as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutter operating lever is pivotably mounted on a bracket, said bracket being slidably mounted on the body, said cutter operating lever being provided an adjustable stop and the temple barrel being at least in part surrounded by a cover, whereby upon engagement of the cutting device lever and the cutter operating lever, the cutter operating lever and the bracket slide rectilinearly relative to the body until the stop engages the temple barrel cover whereafter further movement of the cutting device lever causes pivotting of the cutter operating lever relative to the bracket and the body.

3. A loom temple as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bracket is slidable in a plane inclined to the axis of the temple barrel at an angle of between 90 and 4. A loom temple as claimed in claim 3 wherein the weft cut-off device comprises a cutter body and wherein the cutting shears are mounted on said body for pivotal and sliding movement in a plane parallel to the axis of the temple barrel.

5. A loom temple as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cutting device lever is located in a channel-sectioned member fixed to the temple body, said cutter operating lever being provided with an adjustable stop and the temple barrel being at least partly surrounded by a cover, whereby upon engagement of the cutting device lever and the cutter operating lever, the cutter operating lever slides rectilinearly in said channel-sectioned member until the stop engages the temple barrel cover whereafter further movement of the cutting device lever causes pivotting of the cutter operating lever relative to the channel-sectioned member 6. A loom temple as claimed in claim 5, wherein the weft cut-off device comprises a cutter body pivotably mounted on the temple body, the cutting shears being mounted on said cutter body for pivotal and sliding movement relative thereto. 

1. A loom temple comprising a body, a temple barrel mounted in the body, a weft cut-off device including cutting shears, a cutter operating lever coupled to said weft cut-off device, said lever being mounted on the body for sliding and pivotting movement relative thereto, a cutting device lever connectable to a loom including a sley so as to be movable in synchronism with said sley, means movable in response to an electro magnet to couple said cutting device lever and said cutter operating lever whereby the cutter operating lever is caused to move rectilinearly and the cutting device is moved in a direction away from the axis of the temple barrel and, in use, towards a weft to be cut and thereafter the cutting device lever is caused to pivot thereby operating said cutting shears.
 2. A loom temple as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutter operating lever is pivotably mounted on a bracket, said bracket being slidably mounted on the body, said cutter operating lever being provided an adjustable stop and the temple barrel being at least in part surrounded by a cover, whereby upon engagement of the cutting device lever and the cutter operating lever, the cutter operating lever and the bracket slide rectilinearly relative to the body until the stop engages the temple barrel cover whereafter further movement of the cutting device lever causes pivotting of the cutter operating lever relative to the bracket and the body.
 3. A loom temple as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bracket is slidable in a plane inclined to the axis of the temple barrel at an angle of between 90* and 75*.
 4. A loom temple as claimed in claim 3 wherein the weft cut-off device comprises a cutter body and wherein the cutting shears are mounted on said body for pivotal and sliding movement in a plane parallel to the axis of the temple barrel.
 5. A loom temple as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cutting device lever is located in a channel-sectioned member fixed to the temple body, said cutter operating lever being provided with an adjustable stop and the temple barrel being at least partly surrounded by a cover, whereby upon engagement of the cutting device lever and the cutter operating lever, the cutter operating lever slides rectilinearly in said channel-sectioned member until the stop engages the temple barrel cover whereafter further movement of the cutting device lever causes pivotting of the cutter operating lever relative to the channel-sectioned member
 6. A loom temple as claimed in claim 5, wherein the weft cut-off device comprises a cutter body pivotably mounted on the temple body, the cutting shears being mounted on said cutter body for pivotal and sliding movement relative thereto. 